Cigar-transferring machine



April 29, 1930. H. H. WHEELER CIGAR TRANSFERRING MACHINE Filed Aug. 30, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l4 ...Il-Ill -l-lall-I- gnou/woz l HENRY/Ll. WHEEL?.

April 29, 1930. H. H. WHEELER 1,756,843 I CIGAR TRANSFERRING MACHINE I I Filed'Aug. so, 1928 3 sheets-sheet 2 f 35% l1 www A Apr-i129, 1930. f H. H. WHEELER 1,756,843

CGAR TRANSFERRNG MACHINE Filed Aug. 30, 1928 3 Sheets-Shee!l 3 8 `I manto'c Hf/VRY H. WHEELER.

Patented Apr. 29, 1930 1 UNITED STATES Aralar OFFICE HENRY H. WHEELER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T GENERAL CIGAR COM- PANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK CIGAR-TRANSFERRING MACHINE Application led August 30, 1928.

This invention relates to a machine or device for transferring a cigar from one station to another station, and more particularly to a device for receiving cigars from a cigar foiling machine'and automatically feeding them to a cigar 'banding machine.

Heretofore, the practice has been to accom` plish the transfer of cigars from a. foiling ma-f chine to a banding machine by the agency of an operative who received the cigars being delivered from a foiling machine and individually fed them to a banding machine.

It is among the objects of this invention to enable the necessity of an operative between a cigar foiling machine and a cigar banding machine to be dispensed with and to providey an automatically operating device capable of carrying out the operation of transferring cigars from one machine to the other.

Other objects involving novel constructions and combinations of parts will appear in the specification andl in the claims thereof setting forth a preferred embodiment of my invention which may be fully understood from the l detailed description and drawings, in which:

F ig.,1 is a side elevation of the transferring machine and illustrates its relation to a foiling machine.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2 2 of l Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a viewon line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and shows the Geneva actuating lmechanism for the turret. f

Fig. 4 is a plan view of machine i i Fig. 5 is a view online 5-I-5 of Fig. 4, illus-' trating the cross-head by which a cigar is advanced to a banding machine.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section on line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section on line7-7 of Fig. l

Fig. 8 isa plan of the means 'for feeding cigars to and for causing the discharge of cigars from the turret of the transferring machine. l 1 Y i A The relation of the transferring machine,

the transferring which embodies a preferred form vof my in-A vention, to a cigar foiling machine is generally illustrated in Fig. 1, in wh-ich 10 desig Serial No. 303,001.

nates a portion of the frame construction of the foiling machine. Enough ofthe foiling machine is illustrated'to show its relation to the vpresent invention, and reference may be had to my United States application Serial No. 203,082, filed July 2, 1927, for a full disclosure of a machine with which the machine herein described may be used.V As it is advantageous to construct the transferring machine of small compass, I havefound it convenient to mount it upon projections 11, 11 (Figs. 1 and 4) extending from the frame 10K.

of the foiling machine instead of providing it with a base of its own. The base 12 is secured to and supported by projections 11, 11 one on each side thereof. Base 12 constitutes a fixed table in respect to which the various elements of the transferring machine are'related. l.

Vertically disposed at the central portion of base 12 is a bearing 13, integral therewith, Fig. 6, and within which is situated a freely rotatable hollow shaft 14. Keyed to the upper end of hollow shaft 14 is a turret 15 having a hub 16 bearingin a recess 17 in base 12. Turret 15 has a hub portion from whichV e2;- tends, in a radial direction, the desired number of arms 18, Fig. 4. i

Four arms 18are illustrated and, as seen in Fig. 4, the left hand arm is at the receiving station while the right handarm is at the discharging station. The turret isrotated counter-clockwise and there are shown two arms which are midway of the receiving `and discharging stations, one carrying a cigar which is to be deposited at the discharge station and the other being without a cigar, it having previously deposited one at the discharge station. Each arm has at its outerv end a. laterally extending shelf portion 19 for carrying a cigar.

The turret 15 is driven intermittently byl Geneva gearing which is designed to'successively position an arm 18 opposite the receiving and discharging tables.` The Geneva gearing provides for as many quiescent positions of the turret as the turret has arms. An even number of positions, and hence an even number of arms 18, are provided so as to simplify. the design of the machine by enabling ka corn mon source of motion to be used for both advancing a cigar onto the turret and ejecting a cigar from the turret. rl`his mechanism will be described hereinafter.

The Geneva gearing which provides step- Y by-step movement has its driven wheel 20 afshaft 27 which has itslower Vend mounted in bracket 28 and its upper end held in a bearing 29 extending below base 12, Fig. 7

Shaft 27 is driven through bevel gears 30, 31, the latter of which is keyed to shaft 32 horizontally mounted in bracket 28. Shaft y32 carries at its outer end a sprocket wheel 33 which is driven through sprocket chain 34, Fig. 1, and a sprocket wheel pinned to a shaft 36. Shaft 36 is driven by the driving mechanism (not shown)v of the cigar foiling machine and the ratio of drive of the turret 15 in respect to the rate of delivery of cigars by the foiling machine is such that the turret will .make a quarter of a revolution foreach cigar deposited at the receiving station of the transferring machine. The cigars are successively deposited upon base 12 by rockable carriers 37 carried by a reel (not shown) of the foiling machine.

As carrier 37 descends it drops ai cigar on base 12 at vthe receiving station of the cigar transferring machine at a point just forward a pair of lingers 38 extending vertically from a member 39 (Figs. 1, 6 and 8) of the cigar advancing mechanism of the' transferring machine.

l/Vhile I have referred to the manner lin which cigars may be delivered directly froln The cigar advancing member 39 is reciprocated upon shafts 46,47 in timed relation with and by the controlling mechanism ofthe cigar failing machine through the il'iterme'diary action of a pair of` gear sectors 48. VThe timed relation is such that fingers 38 will be in an extended position when a cigar deposited at the receiving station and the lingers 38 will advance a cigar onto an arm 18 of turret 15' when the turret is quiescent.

The means for causing ejectment of a cigar from the turret comprises a reciprocatory slide 49 mounted so as to move rearwardly and forwardly 1n a slot 50,- Fig. 6, at the discharge side of base l2. The slide 49 has an I-shaped cross-section with its mid-portion fitting in slot 50 and having its top portion extending into annular recess 5l in the top of base 12.

Reciprocation of slide 49 is accomplished by means of a link 52 having its forward end pivotally connected at 53 to the slide and its rearward end pivotally mounted at one end of rod 4l, Fig. 8. lt is apparent that by the arrangement just described, slide 49 will be caused to move with member 39 with the result that a Ycigar will be advanced onto the turret with the same movement that causes a cigar to be ejected from the turret.

Ejectment of a cigar from the turret at a discharging station occurs when slide 49, in its forward movement, carries with it an'ejector 54 which has a vertically disposed pin 55l through which it is controlled. As the turret 15 rotates7 ejector 54 and pin 55 may not be displaced from their retracted positions since the lower end of pin 55 is then prevented from moving` by the outer wall of annular recess 51. However, when an ejector is opposite the discharge station, it may be moved forwardly by slide 49 since a slotf-is provided in base 12 for permitting such a movement. Slots 58, 59 in arms 18 serve to guide pins 55 and maintain them erect. LA cross-bar 60 at the forward end of each ejector' 54 contacts directly with the cigar being ejected.

The ejectorsare always vbiased toward the center of the turret because ofsprings 61, each of which has one end attached to a pin 55.

rlhese springs also serve to retract the ejectors after an ejecting operation. y

The anchor end of each spring 61 is secured to a post 62 extending upwardly from a gripping linger 63, one being` provided for each arm 18. Each finger 63 is pivoted on a pin 64 mounted at the hub portion of turret 15.' It is apparent thatV a portion ofthe weight of a linger 63 will be carried by acigar disposed on a shelf 19, as. illustrated in Fig. 6, but the relation of a spring 61 to a finger 63 is such-as to provide the desired gripping effect.

The means for controlling the operation of the gripping ngers 63 comprises a rod 65 mounted at the center of the turret and within hollow shaft 13. To the upper end of rod 65 there is secured a head or cap (S6-having two lugs 67, 68 extending in opposite directions, f

Figs. 4 and 6, so as to be engageable with projections 69 of the two lingers 63 which are in the receiving-discharging station line. The

lower end of the rod 65 carries a member 70 upon which is mounted a roller 1 and a. shoe shaft 27, Fig. l, so that rod 65 may not rotate.

Rod 65 is normally held in anV elevated position, Fig. 6, bythe tension of'springs 6l transmitted thereto through posts 55. projections 69 and lugs 67, 68of head 66. By low- .ering the position of rod 6,5 the two `fingers 63 whose projections 69 are in the line of'action of lugs 67, 68, are elevated to positions where they will not bear upon the cigars thereunder, Fig. .1. The mechanism just described does not relieve the gripping effect of a finger 63 upon a cigar in transit between the receiving and the discharging stations.

Rod 65 is periodically lowered by the action on roller 71 of theplate cam upon the lower surface of disk 26. The high surface 7a of the plate cam causes rod 65 to be lowered, andl it comes into operation against rollery 71 for that purpose at about the 4time that the turret stops its rotary movement. After a cigar has been advanced upon the turret by finger 38 and a cigar has been ejected from the turret by an ejector 54, rollery 7l leaves the high surface74 of plate cam and is permitted to rise against the low ysurface 7 6 in response to the action of springs 61. Vith roller 7l bearing upon surface 76 the two fingers 63 which have been released will-drop to their gripping positions, Fig. 6.

The' discharging station comprises a table 77 in prolongation of base 12 and attached thereto at its forward end. This table 77 is sufficiently long to accommodate one or more cigars, and it is provided with a pair of rails 78 forming a channel for receiving the cigars.

' A keeper plate 7 9 is disposed above the cigars upon table 77 and a guide rail 8O limits the eX- tent of the receiving station.

After a cigar has been deposited at the receiving station and before another cigar is deposited the most advanced cigar should be removed from the table. For accomplishing this result I provide automatic means for causing movement of each successive cigar longitudinal of itself and the saine means serves to supply the cigars to a banding machine (not shown). An arm 8l is fastened to a rock shaft 82 which is mounted on a boss 83, formed integral with base 12. The

,The lower end of rock shaft 82 carries an varm 89 at the end of which is a roller 90 which bears on the periphery of cam 88. As the high surface of cam 88 passes from under roller 90 as the cam rotates clockwise, Figs. 2 and 4, spring 87 is permitted to act and to cause a cigar to be supplied to the banding machine, and when rock shaft 82 is rocked clockwise by cam 88 spring 87 will be eX- panded and cross-head 85 will be retracted to the position illustrated in Fig. 4, Where it is poised yready for another cigar advancing operation. v'

rl`he invention is capable ofwide variation and relationship of parts without 'departure from the nature and principle thereof. I do .not restrict myself` unessentially Yin the foregoing or other particulars, but contemplate such alterations and modifications within the scope of the appended claims as may be found advisable.

'I claim:v Y f l. A transferring machine adapted toreceive cigars from a foiling machine yand to supply the saine to a banding machine, said transferring machine comprising,l in combi.

nation, a base, a turret rotatively kmounted thereon, a plurality of arms extending radially from said turret, a plurality of lingers carried by said turret, one of said fingers being provided for each of said arms, said fingers being pivotally mounted, resilient means for pressing each of said fingers in con' with the means for advancing cigars onto the turret at the receiving station.

2. A transferring machine adaptedv to re-` ceive cigars from 'a foiling machine and to supply the saine to a banding machine, said transferring machine comprising, in combination, a base, a turrret rotatively mounted on saidv base, a plurality of arms extending frcmsaid turret, a plurality of fingers carried byvsaid turret, one o f said fingers being provided for each of said arms, said fingers being pivotally mounted, resilient means for pressing each of said fingers in contact with a cigar carried by a corresponding arm during rotation of said turret, means for causing step-by-step rotation of said turret, an ejector, means for actuating said ejector at a discharge station, means for releasing a finger from contacting relation with the cigar held thereby, said means being automatic to release the cigar at the discharge station and comprising a. 'rod slidably mounted and having a head operable upon said fingers, a plate cai'n and means affixed.y to theflower end of said rod and contacting with said plate cam.

8. A transferring machine adapted to receive cigars from a foiling machine and tol supply the same to a banding machine, said transferring machine comprising, in combination, a base, a turret rotatively mounted on iia iislv said base, a plurality of arms extending radivally from the center of said turret, a plurality of fingers carried by said turret, one of said fingers being" provided for and above each of said arms, said fingers being pivotally mounted, means for pressing each of said fingers .in contact with a cigar carried by a corresponding arm during rotation of said turret, means for causing Vstep-by-ste'p rotation of said turret, an ejector 'carried by each arm, means for actuating an ejector at a discharge station, means for releasing a finger from contacting relation With the cigar held thereby, said means being automatic to release the cigar at the discharge station and comprising a rod slidably mounted at the central position of the turret and having ahead engageable with said finger, a plate cam and means affixed to the lower endiof said rod and contacting with said plate cam, and automatic means for causing movement of each successive cigar after it has been ejected from theturret at a discharge station.

4. A transferring machine adapted to receivecigars from a foiling machine and to supply the same to a banding machine, said transferring machine comprising, in combination, a base, a turret rotatively mounted thereon, a plurality of arms extending from said turret, a plurality of fingers, one of said fingers being provided for each of said arms,

Asaid fingers being pivotally mounted, means for pressing each of said fingers in contact with a. cigar carried by a corresponding armduring rotation of said turret, means for causing step-by-step rotation of said turret,

y an ejector on each arm, means for actuating the ejectors at a discharge station, means for releasing a finger from contacting relation with thecigar held thereby, said means being automat-ic to release the cigar at the discharge station and comprising a rod slidably mountedk at the central position ofthe turret and having a head engageable with said fingers, a plate cam-and a roller aifixed to the lower end of said rod and contacting with said plate cam, and automatic means for causing movement of each successive cigar after it has been ejected from the turret at a discharge station, said means comprising a Vpivotally mounted arm, a link and a cross-head at. the outer end of said arm, a spring, a cam, and an arm having a roller bearing uponsaid cam, said last named arm having connection with the same pivot as said pivotally mounted arm.

5. A transferring machine adapted to receive cigars froma folding machine and to supply the same to a. banding machine, said transferring machine comprising, in combination, a base, a turret rotatively mounted on said base, a plurality of arms extending radially from said turret, a plurality of fingers carried by said turret, one of said fingers being provided for each of sai-d arms, said at a receiving station oppositesaid cigar ad-V vancing means atthe time of actuation of said means, means for causing step-by-step rotation of said turret, an ejector carried by each arm, a pin carried by said ejector and having one end thereof engaging an annular j Wall in said base for retaining said ejector in a retracted position as said turret rotates, a slide for engaging said pin for actuating said ejector ata discharge station, means for releasing said fingers from contacting relation with the cigar held thereby, said means being automatic to release the cigar at the discharge station, and means for causing movement of each successive cigar longitudinal of itself after it has been ejected fromthe turret at a discharge station, said means comprising a pivotally mounted arm, a link and a cross-head at the outer end of said arm, a spring, a cam,'and an arm` having a Vroller bearing upon said cam, said last named arm having connection With the same pivot as said pivotally mounted arm.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature.

HENRY H. WHEELER. Y

las

iis 

